This invention relates to air-cooled condenser apparatus for air-conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Conventional air-cooled condenser apparatus now in general use employ a condenser coil and a single fan propeller located in an enclosure or a duct, having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the outside air space. The propeller fan provides for axial flow of outside air through the enclosure or duct and over the coil at substantially high velocity, resulting in considerable air turbulence and noise.
The air-cooled condenser apparatus of the present invention is characterized by the provision of an enclosure for a fan motor and fans and includes a condenser unit of an inverted U-shape forming the sides of the enclosure with the front and rear end walls of the enclosure being provided with venturi-defining passages receiving fans drawing outside air through the passages into the enclosure and to discharge the air through the condenser coil unit. The fans, in combination with the venturi passages and enclosure structure including the coil unit, act similar to centrifugal blower, providing improved air-moving performance compared to the conventional axial flow fan propeller.
The air-cooled condenser apparatus of the present invention has further advantages over conventional apparatus in that the use of two fans instead of one permits greater venturi area with resultant lower air velocity; the fan blade tip speed is lower; the air discharge pattern from the fan blades matches the required air flow pattern, all of which features minimize air turbulence and noise. Moreover, it results in lower air turbulence and lower pressure losses due to larger condenser area; and the use of a more efficient blower effectively reduces air-moving power requirements.